Heroes who inspired the European Cup

For a competition with such an illustrious history, the notion that the European Cup, which tomorrow night celebrates its 50th final, was inspired by a Wolves victory seems more than a little difficult to comprehend.

Today, Wolves results rarely register with anyone outside the Midlands but when Stan Cullis's team, skippered by Billy Wright defeated Hungarian champions Honved 3-2 in 1954 it prompted a reaction in France that had far-reaching implications for the future of European football. Indeed, a damp winter's evening at Molineux was in a way the birthplace for the concept of Europe's best club competition.

Gabriel Hanot, editor of the French sports paper L'Equipe, had long campaigned for European competition at club level, though his foresight was not always shared by national associations, many of whom feared their own league would be undermined. However, when the British press proclaimed Wolves "champions of the world" following their victory over Honved, which was prefaced by a 4-0 thrashing of Spartak Moscow - both friendlies - Hanot acted.

The former France international wrote in L'Equipe: "Before we declare that Wolverhampton Wanderers are invincible, let them go to Moscow and Budapest. And there are other internationally renowned clubs: Milan and Real Madrid. The idea of a club World Championship, or at least a European one - larger, more meaningful than the Mitropa Cup and more original than a competition for national teams - should start. Let us take such a risk."

Hanot's vision galvanised the staff at L'Equipe's Paris headquarters to support his plan. Having set up a basic format, which included home and away midweek matches, L'Equipe began to court the interest of some of the continent's leading clubs and national associations.

It was with their assistance that Jacques Ferran, the editor-in-chief at L'Equipe, drew up a first set of rules more than 50 years ago.

Ferran, however, was mindful that overseeing a competition of such magnitude required support well beyond that which L'Equipe could provide. He said: "L'Equipe didn't envisage organising the competition itself, as it did the Tour de France.

We had neither the resources to manage such a large event nor the desire to come into conflict with the national and international associations, who were keen to guard their authority."

Thus, Hanot and Ferran travelled to Vienna for

UEFA's inaugural congress in March

1954. However, European football's newly formed governing body were circumspect about a competition that had the potential to conflict with national associations.

UEFA president Ebbe Schwartz remarked at the time: "It is up to the associations to give their clubs permission to participate in such an event."

UEFA's indecisiveness left Hanot and Ferran frustrated. They were already aware that it was crucial they had the national associations' support, though UEFA's backing would have gone a long way to achieving that aim. Indeed Ferran, somewhat prophetically, later wrote: "Once [the European Cup] has existed for a few years, we will probably be wondering why it was not created earlier. Maybe then this young, timid UEFA, might take responsibility for a competition, which would provide it with its raison d'etre."

FIFA, believing the tournament was outside their remit, were equally cautious, leaving L'Equipe to forge on alone. They did so, and at the beginning of April summoned the 16 clubs, one from each country, who had been invited to take part on the grounds of being the "most prestigious", to a meeting at the Ambassador Hotel in Paris.

England were represented by Chelsea secretary John Battersby, though it was the hugely influential Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu who did most to ensure that L'Equipe's plans were adopted. Ferran added: "Santiago Bernabeu was responsible for the success of the meetings. His personality and the influence of his great club were crucial."

UEFA, who at the time were struggling to reform the Mitropa Cup, which involved central European clubs only, had underestimated not only the determination of Hanot but also the the support that he had garnered.

As such, they had little option but to refer the matter to FIFA, who approved the competition provided it was organised under the authority of UEFA and that participating clubs had the consent of national associations.

L'Equipe had no reason to feel aggrieved that the competition, which the UEFA executive committee adopted as the "European Champions Clubs' Cup" on 21 June 1955, had been taken out of their hands. Ferran added: "Our sole objective was to get the competition off the ground in order that a sport which was close to our hearts might indeed flourish."

England, through the Football League's intervention, were without a representative in the European Cup's inaugural year when Chelsea were advised to withdraw.

Since then the magnificent cup has resided on these shores on nine occasions, though ironically never in the trophy cabinet at Molineux, despite being home to the "champions of the world."